The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-03
WILLIAM O'BRIEN.


Something About the Man Who Is Coming
TO Canada to Beard Lansdowne
London Letter in New York sun.
William O'Brien who is leaving for Canada
TO make Lansdowne ghosts walk, is remark
able man. He is best remembered in Parlia-
ment the central figure in one of the great
bitter scenes which Ireland has forced upon the
legislative history of the country. He was the
first victim OF coture. 1t was something more
than two years ago that Mr. Gladstone resolved
TO apply that now deplored rule to the House for
the purpose of putting down tho Nationalists
After he had done the deed and the House was
ringing with the intermngled yells of triumph
from tho Liberal and Tory and of scorn from
the Irish benches. tie enrill voice Of William
O'Brien hissed out through the tumult at Mr.
Gladstone, We'll rene rber his to you in Ire
land." Mr.. Gladstone arosc, Lale and shame
faced, and moved that Mr.. OBren be suspended
Of course, the motion was carried. The Speaker
ordered O'Brien to retire. The member for
Malow arose with serious courtesy. and said. in
the hearing of the entire House, Certainly. Mr..
| Speaker, with far greater pleasure than ever
entered it." He consented reluctantly to keep
seat in the body until defeated IN the last cleo
tion III close Orange constituency, and since
| then ne has refused to accept any Of the yacan-
| cieS
| William OiBrien is a splendid type of the
| Irish ldealist, who brings the passion of the
| patriot and the charms of the literary man into
| practical politics. He was born IN the dingy
town Of Mallow. the birthplace of the Protestant
| revolutionist, Thomas Davis and to-day contests
| with that hero. whom he much resembles in in
! tellectual makeup, for the tenderest place in
/ the Irish heart after Parnel He is not forty
yeas Of age, and is the sole survivor of family,
= Ssss.s other mem hsr-of which has been hurried
! S5 the grave by consumption He is physically
slisht. with reddish hair and complexion and
| delicate features which suggest a mixture of the
Roman and the Dane. He is college bred. and
master of style keen, polished and passionate
He began life as a reporter on the Freemans
Journal: and when the cloud began to lower. in
1880, his pen described the famine scenes in the
south and west with such marvellous vividness
as to force the truth upon the attention of the
country. His visits to many of the seacoast
ard island districts were made IN rude boat
often at the risk of his life
Parnell perceived his mett1e and his genius
and when he and others resolved upon estab
hshIng United Ireland 10 advocate the national
cause more ardently than the Freeman's Journal
was then ready to do, and more aggressively
than the habit of the Nation under rhe
!, tous and conservative Sulliyans. William
OBrien was placed at the head of the
gan. It's success was instantaneous Its
perbly written leaders, full of vehemence and of
fact turned of with the finish of the artist and
imbued with glow of poetic fancy. attracted
the attention of the press on both sides of the
channel The paper went through Ireland like
torch lighting up dark places, setting the souls
| OF the tinnld on fire and filing the despairing
peasants with resolution. Its affect ap-
parent that before it was old enough to have a
history In Journalism its presses were seized, its
editor thrust into Kilmainham. its book keepers
and pressmen mprisone ed in a frenzy of maudin
anger by Forster. O'Brien smiled well as he
could, day after day for six months rising from
his plank bed, expecting every morning to hear
that his aged mother, her solitude deepeued by
his enforced absence, had passed away. The joy
of hearing of his release killed her.
In Parliament, docile to Parnell, but burning
with impatience, OBrien made mark on the
few occasions when the tactics of the wary Irish
aaAa an fO lnnS lSp1f fJ1pn fha
/ foe His style in speaking exactly his style
in writing. His sentences cut like many
stiettos. Incisive.s refined. delicate. ris physi-
cal feebleness confessed in weak and hoarse
voice, his mental strength and fervor OF spirit
never failed to compel attention and arouse
spect. Healy was hated in those days for his
audacity, OBren for his fierce earnestness. He
never descended to suavity. He never depre-
Gated or faitered. He spoke with such defiant
sincerity that than occasion the
Orange bulies were exasperated to the verge of
personal assault All the enemies Of home rule
were profoundly relieved when they heard ne
would not return to the Parnelite benches. He
much needed in Ireland as Parnell at
Westminster The troubles of that afflicted
country are due as much TO intrigue at Rome as
to british bigotry among fanatical Irishmen.
To Willianl OBrien is DUE more than to all
other public men in the Nationalist party, the
final rout of English cabals at the Vatican. and
the rapidly growing spirit OF man like brother
hood which bas been encendered between Prot
estant and Catholic leaders the home rule
question. OF profoundly religious feelings, it IS
monastic state few years ago. and was dis
shaded by the entreaties of friends. who pointed
him that his country REQUIRED active
life in ner service. AS Indifferent to fate the
soldier who has grown familiar with peril.
enthusiastic in the cause of home rule Peter
the Hermit for the holy sepuicbre, he has
worn himself away for his land. Although Par
nell allotted proper salary to the post OF editor
of United Ireland. O'Brien draws from its
ceipts only enough to live in frugal bachelor
quarters When American friends sent him
So 600 meet the expenses arising out of his
driving moral monsters from Dublin Castle. he
used exactly the portion of il necessary to the
remainder the Protestant preacher and the
Catholic priest of Mallow for the relief of actual
want. Insunctiyely consderate of the religious
sentiments of those not OF his faith. he carried
Orange constituency once, and could do it
again if he chose. Clear in his understanding
of Catholic theology. he met Cardinal Slmeonfs
assaults upon Parneli with such intrepid grace
and consummate tact to make Walsh the
successor of McCabe.
1t is no idle figure say that he will make
Lansdowne ghosts walk in Canada He will
speak no word in excess of truth. He will en-
pioy no figures which be cannot verify. He Will
give man just cause for personal resen tment.
He will meet bulles with facts. He will disarm
rufians by gentleness of personal demeanor
which will faseinate fury itself. For Canada is
strewn with the bones of the victims of the
Lansdownes. and ne will only summon the thou
sands who lie Ia its cemeteries 10 evoke process
sions of phantoms, whose bony hands will clap
upon thousands who died IN the south OF ireland
under the present lords father will be brought
back to the Irish In Canada by the survivors of
three thousand more whom ne exiled stricken
with fever and perishing of hunger. Canadian
hospitals filed with them their arrival,
and 9Saf hv rhSer mi a